Research paper on Cyberbullying. Social Sciences paper.

Cyberbullying
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Cyberbullying
Bullying is considered an intentional portrayal of aggressive behavior towards another individual, either as a show of power or strength. Traditionally, bullying involved intimidation through social exclusion, physical actions such as punching, as well as verbal bullying, such as the use of abusive language. However, recent advancements in technology have presented a new type of bullying. Cyberbullying, also known as online social cruelty, is termed as the intentional and aggressive action by a person or a group on other defenseless individuals using electronic forms of contact repeatedly over a period of time (Smith et al., 2008). The potential of bullying has become more significant, owing to the excessive use of mobile phones and networked computers among the young generation. Research by the Mobile Life Report indicated that in the UK, more than 91 percent of 12-year-olds and 51 percent of 10-year-olds have mobile phones (Smith et al., 2008). This indicates that children in these categories are more likely to fall victim to cyberbullying. Furthermore, schools are viewed to offer convenient settings for the activity. In the U.S, the issue of cyberbullying has become rampant in high and middle schools (Beran & Li, 2005). Also, students in colleges have reported getting threats, having their private information shared online, or being excluded online. This indicates a rising problem that is bound to have an influence on more children and young adults if no action is taken to prevent the vice. As such, this paper seeks to paint a much clearer picture of cyberbullying and propose solutions to deal with the problem.
Status of Cyberbullying
Majority of individuals who are affected by cyberbullying are children and the youth. Studies indicate that 15 percent of students aged between 12 and 18 reported being bullied via either text or online (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010). Similarly, a study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted over 12 months indicated that 14.9 percent of the students engaged were electronically bullied over the course of the survey (CDC, 2017). Based on various studies, the frequency of cyberbullying has changed over the past years. In 2007, cyberbullying victimization was reported to be 18.8 percent, and in 2009, the rate increased to 28.7 percent (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010). Research indicates that there are variations in the types of cyberbullying methods used by individuals. The highest number of cyberbullying offenses is carried out through the spread of rumors online, threatening text messages, and hurtful comments online, which account for 13.3 percent, 8.4 percent, and 14.3 percent, respectively (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010). These channels coincide with devices that are commonly used by children and young adults. Young people use mobile phones very often in their daily lives to communicate and browse. The internet is also commonly used among the youth for either schoolwork or social media. Such environments allow cyberbullies to target innocent individuals and manage to stay anonymous. In most cases, victims of cyberbullying have no knowledge or means of tracing the messages to the sen...